Today's Paper

Encroachments: court orders spot inspection at T. Nagar

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday said a two-member committee consisting of officers of the Chennai Corporation and the CMDA should make a spot inspection at T.Nagar from February 17 in the matter relating to removal of encroachments.

The First Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice S.J.Mukhopadhaya and Justice V.Dhanapalan passed further orders on a public interest litigation petition filed by K.R.Ramaswamy alias ‘Traffic’ Ramaswamy.

It said the Corporation Commissioner and the CMDA Member-Secretary should nominate an officer each. The committee will make spot inspection of the areas in question. The petitioner may assist the committee.

A joint report should be submitted to the court on March 2. The matter has been posted for March 3.

In his petition, Mr.Ramaswamy had said that if only an earlier High Court order had been acted upon, encroachments on Ranganathan Street would have been removed and the fire accident in Saravana Stores on September 1 last year could have been averted.

In the August 2006 order, a Division Bench directed the Corporation to take steps to remove encroachments on all busy streets such as Ranganathan Street, Natesan Street, Madley Road, etc., but no progress had been shown, the petition said.